Celery-harvesting implement.



No. 690,899. Patented Jan; 7, 1902'.

- a. smm.

CELEBY HARVESTING IMPLEMENT.

(Application filed. June 18, 1901.)

(In llodel.)

INVENTOR. Jab/7 Guy .Smffh A TTORNE Y.

UNITED Frames Parent rrrcn.

JOHN GUY SMITH, OF DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO FRANK M. IRISH.

CELERY- HARVESTING IMPLEMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 690,899, dated J1 annary '7, 1902.

Application filed June 18, 1901. Serial Nor 65,040. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN GUY SMITH, a citizen of the United States of America, re siding at Denver, in the county of Arapahoe and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Celery-Harvesting Implements; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in implements for use in gathering or harvesting celery, my special object being to greatly facilitate the work and lessen the cost of gathering the aforesaid article. It is believed, however, that my improved implement may be employed to advantage in gathering vegetables and food roots of various kinds. The apparatus will, however, be described in this specification with special reference to what I consider its chief use-namely, for cutting the roots of celery, so that the bunches may be picked out of the ground without effort. I-Ieretofore so far as I am aware celery has been dug by hand. My improved implement is drawn by horses, a knife extending transversely to the ridge or row being employed to pass beneath the edible part of the article and cut the roots. This knife is mounted on a suitable frame. The invention will be hereinafter described more fully and in detail, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which is illustrated an embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved implement. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the knife shown in detail and on a larger scale. Fig. 4c is a section taken on the line as :0, Fig. 2, the parts being shown on a larger scale.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the views.

Let the numeral 5 designate the framework as a whole. The construction of the framework shown in the drawings is suitable for the purpose, though it must be understood that any other suitable construction may be employed. As shown, there are two upper bars 5, connected by a brace 5 at the rear. These bars are parallel a greater part of their length; but their forward extremities are made to approach each other and form a support for a clevis 6, suitable for the attachment of a doubletree. To the bars 5, about midway of their parallel length, are attached the forward extremities of rearwardlyextending handle-bars 5. To these bars 5 and 5 are attached two depending bars 5 whose upper portions are bifurcated and whose lower extremities merge into runners 5. In use the runner-bars are adapted to straddle a row of celery. The cutter 7 extends between the runners, its extremities being attached to them on the inside. The knife or cutter, as shown in the drawings, is formed with end flanges 7, bent at right angles and secured to the runners by suitable fastening devices. The face of the knife is beveled downwardly from the rear toward the front, where it is provided with a suitable thin cutting edge.

To the forward extremities of the bars 5 are adj ustably attached two vertical bars 8, to whose lower extremities are journaled wheels 9 The position of the wheels determines the depth to which the knife runs when the implement is in use. The vertical bars 8 are connected to the parts 5 of the frame by means of a clamp composed of a U-shaped part 9 and a metal plate 10, having openings through which the extremities of the U- shaped part pass. The extremities of the part 9 are secured by nuts 12. these nuts it is evident that each bar 8 may be vertically adjusted as desired.

Thecutter 7 is detachably connected with the runners 5 by means of bolts or other suit= able fastening devices, as heretofore stated, allowing the knife to be readily detached for sharpening purposes.

As is well known, celery is grown in longi tudinal mounds or ridges. In use the implement straddles this ridge or row, and the knife runs far enough below the top to cut the roots, after which the bunches are per- By loosening 1 fectly loose and may be picked out of the ground and gathered without the effort of digging.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim isi 1. In an implement for harvesting celery, the combination with a suitable frame, of depending bars located on opposite sides of the frame and attached thereto, said bars terminating in integral parallel runners suitably separated and extendingin the direction of the line of travel, and a knife whose extremities are respectively attached to the bars and arranged to extend transversely to the direction of travel, and pass beneath the ground at a suitable depth to cut the roots of the celery.

2. In an implement of the class described, the combination with an upper framework, of

JOHN GUY SMITH.

Witnesses:

DORA 0. Stuck, A. J. OBRIEN. 

